High schoolers examine the significance of nonprofit organizations in a democratic society. They conduct research on a selected nonprofit organization, complete a questionnaire, and present their findings to the class.

Students participate in a mock conference addressing the possible extinction of African wild dogs. In this wild dogs lesson plan, students state their arguments and ask questions about the issues they have researched.

Young scholars are introduced to careers with an aquatic emphasis. They take a self-evaluation test on what they enjoy in school to determine which career is right for them. They listen to people in the field discuss what their job is like.

Young scholars find the mass of the top quark. In this physics instructional activity, students create a vector diagram from a given set of data. They discuss their calculations and findings in class.

Young scholars research federal land holdings. They explore how those lands are used. They map these lands and design their own legends. They discuss whether or not the land is being used accordingly.

If only we could harness the energy of fifth graders, our energy problems would be over! The class discusses where different forms of energy come from and how we use them. They complete a chart of the activities that they do daily...

Students discuss the solar system, the planets, periods of orbit and revolution.  For this space lesson students discuss the importance of the study of Mars and brainstorm ideas on how NASA might solve its Rover design problem. 

Students use the net they make to dip macroinvertebrates at or below the surface. The flat side of the net allows pressure on the substrate so that organisms do not escape under the net. Two students hold onto the handles and submerge...

Learners explore ecosystems. They read or listen to Dr. Seuss' The Lorax to draw conclusions and make predictions about the environmental impact and use of resources. They write poems about real forests and the wildlife which inhabit...

First graders recognize words associated with recycling. In this environmental lesson, 1st graders go through the alphabet and think of words associated with recycling that start with a letter. Students create a recycling ABC book.

Using 2-liter bottles, junior ecologists create composting tubes in which they place nitrogen-rich and carbon-rich materials. They observe what changes occur over two weeks' time. Provide more specific direction to your class as to what...

Sixth graders explore the animals that live on the prairie and identify differences between amphibians and reptiles and the adaptations each have made to live on the prairie.

Students explore the life cycles of insects and how they interact with each other in the prairie to create a healthy ecosystem and viable food chain. They list animals or insects in their own community that are similar to the prairie...

Two groups consider whether or not the Florida manatee will become extinct during their lifetimes. They research manatee populations and statistics together and then a class debate is held. Afterwards they consider how reliable...

Students review the garbage/landfill graphs included with the lesson. They discuss the information on the graphs and discuss which garbage products come from their homes. Students collect examples of over packaging to share with class...

Young scholars view different slides on how agriculture has changed in America. In groups, they are given one resource to read and answer discussion quesions. After reviewing answers, they participate in different scenerios to help...

Pupils observe that there are threatened and endangered bird species in Illinois, why they have been given this status and how it relates to endangered species on a worldwide basis. they participate in the Project WILD "Oh, Deer" or...

Middle schoolers examine the basics about soil.  In this soil lesson students describe the physical properties of soil and explain what soil profile is. 

Learners examine the carbon cycle and how carbon atoms travel through it.  In this energy cycles lesson students describe how human activities affect the carbon cycle. 

Students view examples of different types of erosion. In this erosion lesson, students discuss the different types of erosion and how erosion changes Earth. Students explore erosion and the effect it has on engineering.

Students research the rainy and dry season to investigate Africa's weather. In this African weather lesson, students use the given websites to research the rainy and dry seasons of Ghana in Africa. Students then read stories about life...

Second graders write a story about the journey a food has from the rainforest to your table. In this food lesson plan, 2nd graders research different foods and products that come from the rainforest and discover how it ended up in their...

First of three lessons, this is a great start to a unit on energy. As you demonstrate, learners discover different types of energy and how it is converted from one form to another. They then focus in on the generation of electricity by...

For this second of three lessons on power plants, future engineers find out how we generate electricity and how coal-powered plants operate. They work in small groups to make electromagnet generators to light LED bulbs. A set of...